Tacoma Trailhunter And TRD Let You Live The Adventure

Anyone familiar with Toyota knows that within a model line, “TRD Pro” is the moniker for the ultimate off-road trim. That has been the case for Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia, and 4Runner. But now the new Tacoma comes with a Trailhunter model. Where does that fit in with the lineup? Valley Hi Toyota will explain.

Two Off-Road Specialists for Two Purposes

Toyota may have the best shorthand to explain the two models.  Its Two-word description of the Trailhunter is “Go Far”, while for TRD it’s “Go Fast”. Recognizing that Toyota trucks have long been a popular choice for overlanders, Toyota developed the Trailhunter to be a fresh-from-the-factory overlander, ready to take you and your camping gear almost anywhere. The TRD Pro is no slouch in this area but is now more focused on thrilling fast desert and rough surface running. 

Both models have in common the standard i-Force Max turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, which combines the engine with a 48-hp electric motor feeding off a 1.87-kWh NiMH battery for a total system output of 326 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque, nearly doubling the torque output of the outgoing V-6 engine. The power is controlled through an 8-speed transmission before being sent to all four wheels wrapped with 33-inch Goodyear Territory R/T tires. These tires, combined with suspension modifications, raise these models 2 inches higher in the front and 1.5 inches higher in the rear.

Venturing Deep with the Trailhunter

All Traihunters are Double Cabs with either a 5- or 6-foot bed. Figuring nobody knows Overlanding more than Australians – almost the entire interior of their country involves overlanding – Toyota turned to Austrarlian-based ARB in developing the Trailhunter. Together they co-developed the Trailhunter’s Old Man Emu (OME) position-sensitive 2.5-inch forged monotube shocks with rear external piggyback-style remote reservoirs. ARB also developed a high-clearance steel rear bumper, recovery points, and a bed utility bar with removable MOLLE panels. Within the grille is a 20-inch LED light bar accompanied by RIGID LED fog lamps that can switch between white and yellow light. Additional lighting illuminates around the bed for camping, and a 2400W AC converter can provide power for camping devices. 

Underneath you’ll find rock rails, a multitude of hot-stamped high-strength steel skid plates, and a high-clearance exhaust tip. The Air Intake is routed up the passenger-side A-pillar to keep the air coming in cases of high water. Serious overlanders can equip their Trailhunter with light- or heavy-duty versions of a full ARB bed rack to support additional gear like rooftop tents, canopies, or a camp shower. Toyota will carry a wide variety of additional accessories to help customers outfit their Traihunter according to their needs. 

Charging Hard with the TRD Pro

TRD Pro is now even more focused on fast off-road running. In addition to the previously-mentioned ride height lift, TRD Pro has a three-inch wider track than an SR5. Fox internal bypass 2.5-inch manual modal Quick Switch 3 (QS3) shocks have three different settings via dials on the shock bodies to tune compression damping. Up front are red aluminum bespoke TRD upper control arms, which optimize front geometry and reduce unsprung weight. The front anti-roll bars can be disconnected from the cabin for greater articulation. In the rear is an all-new multilink rear suspension featuring FOX internal Floating Piston bump stops to soften some of the biggest jolts the terrain offers up. 

Further handling those jolts is the introduction of an air-over-oil shock absorber system built into the front seats. Called Iso Dynamic Performance Seats, they enable vertical and lateral seat movement to dampen body movement and to keep the head and neck in alignment with the spine, thus reducing fatigue when running over rugged surfaces. If that seems like missing out on the fun, the system can be defeated.

The TRD Pro has its own integrated LED light bar works, which, together with the LED headlights, throw an optimized wide-range beam pattern. RIGID white LED fog lamps increase visibility during inclement weather. TRD Pro also shares with the Trailhunter its high-clearance ARB rear metal bumper with red recovery hooks.

Off-road mid-size trucks are all the rage right now, but no one is near as far along the learning curve as Toyota with its new Tacoma line. Nor do any competing model share Tacoma’s reliability and durability heritage, and that is exactly what you want when venturing well off the path of civilization. New Tacoma models can be expected to enter Valley Hi Toyota’s inventory in early fall. However, like all i-Force Max-equipped models, the Trailhunter and TRD Pro are expected to arrive in early 2024.

Tags: Capability, MidSize Truck, performance, tacoma, Toyota, TRD Pro
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